Other Public Services News
GROUP PUBLISHES SOCIO ECONOMIC STRATEGY. A working group chaired by John Thurso MP and comprising of key stakeholders in the economy around Dounreay has completed its work with the publication of a strategy for addressing the social and economic consequences of site closure.
The Scottish Environment Protection Agency (SEPA) is pleased that a clear policy framework for managing higher activity radioactivity wastes in the UK has been decided upon. Today's (Wednesday 25 October) announcement by the UK Government and devolved administrations in response to the recommendations made by the Committee on Radioactive Waste Management (CoRWM) foresees this type of radioactive waste being managed in the long term by means of geological disposal and, until such a facility exists, it will be stored in safe and secure interim facilities.
UKAEA Dounreay today published updated figures about employment at the site and projections of reducing manpower needs as more of the fast reactor experiment is cleaned out and demolished. The report - available on-line here states: Current employment levels of approximately 2000 are expected to reduce by 500 over the next five years.
The Scottish Environment Protection Agency (SEPA) is distributing, under licence, initial copies of this map to organisations, including the Scottish Executive, local authorities and emergency services. The map gives an indication of the areas in Scotland potentially at risk of flooding from either rivers or the sea, or both.
The third Area Waste Plan Annual Reports published today reveal how local authorities are helping to tackle waste produced throughout each area in Scotland. The reports, which are available on the Scottish Environment Protection Agency (SEPA) website, are broken down into the 11 individual waste plan areas.
PRINCESS ANNE TO OPEN TEST CENTRE. Princess Anne is to officially open Britain's first purpose-built nuclear clean-up test, trials, training, research and development centre as part of a visit to Caithness on Tuesday, October 10.
UKAEA recently invited a group of Dounreay's retired workers back to site to see the decommissioning work taking place at Dounreay. During their return to site Gordon Bailey, Frank Sinclair, Sinclair Calder, Ernie Lillyman, Jonathon Kirk and Rolland Shallcross were informed about the shaft isolation project and saw for themselves the changes that have taken place at the shaft including the raised working platform which was recently constructed.
REACTOR CONTROL ROOM IS CONSIGNED TO HISTORY. What was once the hub of the next generation of nuclear power plant, a hive of activity buzzing with the thrill of ground-breaking technology, is now in stark contrast an empty shell.
Speech by Liz Cameron Chief Executive Scottish Chambers of Commerce Caithness Chamber AGM, Park Hotel, Thurso 19 September 2006 Ladies & Gentlemen, good afternoon. First may I say how delighted I am to be here in Scotland's true North East? It is always uplifting to the spirit to leave the City behind and breathe the clear air, admire the stunning scenery and enjoy the warm welcome of the North of Scotland.
All of Scotland's bathing beaches have passed the European standard water quality tests for the first time since monitoring began 20 years ago. On the final day of the 2006 bathing waters season, the Scottish Environment Protection Agency (SEPA) can reveal that all of the 63 designated bathing waters have passed either EC 'mandatory' or stricter 'guideline' standards.
UKAEA has completed a three-month programme of offshore monitoring surveys to improve understanding of the location of irradiated fuel particles in off-shore sediments using a remotely-operated monitoring device. The results are being compiled and a preliminary report has been sent to the Dounreay Particles Advisory Group and Scottish Environment Protection Agency.
HOTSPUR CELL CLEAN-OUT IS DECOMMISSIONING MILESTONE. Dounreay has passed an important decommissioning milestone by successfully cleaning up and dismantling the first of the heavily-shielded facilities in the fuel cycle laboratories, known as the Hotspur cell.
UKAEA has completed a three-month programme of offshore monitoring surveys to improve understanding of the location of irradiated fuel particles in off-shore sediments using a remotely-operated monitoring device. The results are being compiled and a preliminary report has been sent to the Dounreay Particles Advisory Group and Scottish Environment Protection Agency.
Personnel from BNG's sites at Chapelcross and Hinkley Point visited the practical training facility at Dounreay recently, to watch a training session for the second year SVQ apprentices taking place in the simulated nuclear plant. Gordon Anderson, John Rogerson and Charles Thomson were on a fact-finding visit to see at first hand how the simulator training is improving the skills of the apprentices.
Dounreay is once again the location for the child safety awareness event Safe Highlanders. Around 335 primary seven pupils from Caithness and North Sutherland will attend the event, sponsored by Caithness Community Safety Action Team and UKAEA, at Dounreay Visitor Centre over the next two days.
A number of inaccurate and misleading statements about radioactive particles in the marine environment around Dounreay have been published today in an article in the Daily Telegraph. UKAEA believes it is important the public has access to accurate and balanced information about particles and the risk they pose, so that people can make informed judgements about the use of beaches etc.
FIRST STEPS TO SHAFT DECOMMISSIONING NEAR COMPLETION. The first stage in the shaft isolation project is nearing completion with the finishing touches being put to the raised working platform.
UKAEA today welcomed the arrival of Britain's first purpose-built nuclear decommissioning test centre. The T3UK complex, incorporating a research institute of the UHI Millennium Institute, aims to become the country's leading site for trialling the techniques and equipment needed to safely dismantle Britain's nuclear legacy, as well as undertaking test work for the offshore and environmental sectors.
UKAEA APPLIES FOR PLANNING PERMISSION FOR NEXT DECOMMISSIONING PHASE UKAEA is seeking planning permission to commence the construction of new facilities at Dounreay with a combined value in excess of �127 million. A planning application has been submitted to the Highland Council for the construction of three facilities as outlined in phase one of the Highland Council's Dounreay Planning Framework, which was the subject of public consultation during 2005.
A worldwide search for technology capable of improving UKAEA's detection of radioactive particles on beaches near Dounreay has resulted in four companies being short-listed for the award of a contract to undertake the work. Four different systems, including an enhanced version of the system currently in use, were selected by a panel of experts after a series of trials to test their performance against the current system.